Definition
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorpic rock which is a type of chert that breaks with conchoidal fracture
A carbonate rock which is matrix supported and contains over 10% allochems in a carbonate mud matrix.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Latin word novacula, for razor stone
From the English mud and stone, from low German mudde and stainaz
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Glassy, Rough, Vitreous
Clastic
Color
Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Glassy or Pearly
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Flooring, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, Garden Decoration
As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Roof Tiles
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Construction Industry
Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of Glass and Ceramics, Rail Track Ballast, Roadstone, Spear Points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons
Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Monuments
Artifacts, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Gemstone, In aquifers, In fire-starting tools, Jewelry, Manufacture of tools, Pebbles are used in ball mills to grind in ceramics industry, To determine the gold content of jewelry
Cemetery Markers, Pottery
Types
Sedimentary rock
Marl, Shale and Argillite
Features
Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Smooth to touch, Very fine grained rock
Archaeological Significance
Formation
Novaculite forms when microcrystals of silicon dioxide grow within soft sediments that become limestone or chalk. The formation of Novaculite can be either of chemical or biological origin.
Wackestone is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock as it flows. These particles settle down and are then compacted due to high temperature and pressure hence forming Wackestone.
Mineral Content
Quartz, Silicon
Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz
Compound Content
Ca, Silicon Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
-
-
Types of Weathering
-
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Conchoidal
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Waxy and Dull
Dull
Specific Gravity
2.5-2.7
2.2-2.8
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.7 g/cm3
2.4-2.8 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Bangladesh, China, India, Russia
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
-
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
USA
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Novaculite vs Wackestone Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Novaculite vs Wackestone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Novaculite and Properties of Wackestone. Learn more about Novaculite vs Wackestone in the next section. The interior uses of Novaculite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Wackestone include Decorative aggregates, Flooring and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Novaculite and Wackestone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Novaculite in construction industry include Arrowheads, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, Cutting tool, For road aggregate, Knives, Landscaping, Making natural cement, Production of glass and ceramics, Rail track ballast, Roadstone, Spear points, Used to sharpen metal tools and weapons and that of Wackestone include Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Novaculite and Wackestone
Here you can know more about Novaculite and Wackestone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Novaculite and Wackestone consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Novaculite includes Quartz, Silicon and mineral content of Wackestone includes Biotite, Chlorite, Feldspar, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyrite, Quartz. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Novaculite vs Wackestone, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Novaculite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors whereas, Wackestone is available in black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow colors. Appearance of Novaculite is Glassy or Pearly and that of Wackestone is Rough and Dull. Properties of rock is another aspect for Novaculite vs Wackestone. The hardness of Novaculite is 7 and that of Wackestone is 2-3. The types of Novaculite are Sedimentary rock whereas types of Wackestone are Marl, Shale and Argillite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Novaculite is while that of Wackestone is white. The specific heat capacity of Novaculite is 0.74 kJ/Kg K and that of Wackestone is 0.39 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Novaculite is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Wackestone is heat resistant, impact resistant.